Portland Trail Blazers firing Neil Olshey is too little, too late

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 18: Evan Turner #1 of the Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard #0 and Allen Crabbe #23 react during the first half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on November 18, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

Why the Portland Trail Blazers fired Neil Olshey: The summer of 2016

Really though, the writing was probably on the wall for Olshey in the summer of 2016. When the cap spike hit, he oversaw the signing of Evan Turner (four years, $70 million), Allen Crabbe (four years, $75 million, for a foundational piece as Olshey put it at the time). and Moe Harkless (four years, $42 million).

In defense of Harkless he was actually okay during his tenure, but for the money spent the collection of talent was middling at best, and franchise-altering (in a bad way) at worst.

This was the moment Olshey lost his job, and although a Western Conference Finals appearance would follow, upon reflection we can see this as a period of time where some great Lillard and McCollum years were lost. The West was even more brutal then, and as likable as some of these players were and continue to be, they were never making the Finals.

Drafting a generational talent to a small market buys you some time as a GM. Olshey did that part, but found the next piece of it all, building the competitive roster around them for the long-term, hard.

Many before him have tried and failed as well, but for the Trail Blazers, this move has come too late in the day to make a difference to the here and now. Maybe this coming decade will be different.

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